Don't cheat nation's ex-servicemen: Antony to Centre

Updated: Nov 02, 2016 18:13 IST

New Delhi [India], Nov. 2 (ANI): Senior Congress leader and former union minister A.K. Antony on Wednesday strongly condemn the detention of party vice-president Rahul Gandhi and said the Centre must not cheat the nation's ex serviceman.

"I strongly protest and condemn this action by police. I only appeal to the government that don't stand on prestige. Don't make false promises to ex-servicemen of the country," Antony said.

"The present government is responsible for this tragedy and is responsible for suicide of the ex serviceman," he added.

Another, Congress leader Anand Sharma told ANI "This act shows what type of government we have, which is using its authority and doing acts which are illegal. Rahul Gandhi detentions are illegal. The police are unable to explain under which section they have detented."

Ahmed Patel termed the act as 'anti-democratic' and added it is BJP's well thought conspiracy to stop Rahul Gandhi.

Earlier, Rahul Gandhi was detained along with other Congress leaders as they moved to enter the Ram Manohar Lohia to meet the family members of the ex-serviceman, who allegedly committed suicide over the One Rank, One Pension (OROP) issue yesterday.

Meena told the media that leaders of various political parties must understand that hospital is not a place to hold demonstrations.

Seventy-year-old ex-serviceman Ram Kishan Grewal was protesting against anomalies in the OROP scheme. He allegedly committed suicide by consuming poison in the lawns behind Jawahar Bhawan in New Delhi on Tuesday night.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, while celebrating the Diwali with the army and ITBP personnel in Sumdo, Kinnaur, had said that the first installment of nearly Rs. 5,500 crore has been paid for implementing the OROP scheme.

The Prime Minister also asserted that he has "fulfilled the promise" which he made to ex-servicemen on the issue that has been hanging fire for the last 40 years.

OROP scheme has been a long-standing demand of nearly three-million ex-servicemen and war widows in the country.

It seeks to ensure that a uniform pension is paid to defence personnel, who retire at the same rank with the same length of service irrespective of their date of retirement. (ANI)